Note: The views and opinions expressed in blog/editorial posts are those of the author. They do not purport to reflect the views or opinions of Misbar.
YouTube announced on Thursday, July 21, 2022, that it would remove content spreading abortion-related misinformation and promoting unsafe abortions. The video platform said it would include videos mentioning false claims about abortion's safety in its misinformation policies.
YouTube To Remove Abortion Misinformation
YouTube declared it would provide factual health content on pregnancy termination videos and search results. UltraViolet, a U.S. gender justice group is one among more than 200 signatories of a letter sent to YouTube claiming these companies were enabling dangerous medical misinformation, said this step would help protect public health. Shaunna Thomas, the co-founder of UltraViolet and its executive director, told the BBC that “immediate action is needed to prevent a disinformation epidemic and provide pregnant people with reliable reproductive health information.”
Ms. Thomas also said that “TikTok, Twitter, and Meta must follow YouTube's lead and stop the spread of this dangerous misinformation.”
“Starting today and ramping up over the next few weeks, we will remove content that provides instructions for unsafe abortion methods or promotes false claims about abortion safety under our medical misinformation policies,” YouTube announced in a tweet.
“Like all of our policies on health/medical topics, we rely on published guidance from health authorities. We prioritize connecting people to content from authoritative sources on health topics, and we continuously review our policies & products as real-world events unfold,” the tweet reads.
YouTube is also launching an “information panel” providing viewers with “context and information from local and global health authorities under abortion-related videos and above relevant search results.” The panel will also include a link for people who want to “learn more,” and instructions to consult their local medical authorities for advice.
YouTube Faces a Wave of Criticism
YouTube has recently been subject to a wave of criticism over the health misinformation circulating on the platform. Following the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade, a group of stakeholders urged the company to combat abortion misinformation. Google itself announced it would delete the location history for people going to abortion sites.
Roe v. Wade states that pregnant women were entitled to an abortion during the first three months of their pregnancy, while allowing for legal restrictions and bans in the second and third trimesters. The U.S. court has overturned Roe v. Wade making it possible for many states to ban abortions in early pregnancy stages.
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